


photographs

by Jenfly



Series: for the day i take your hand [4]
Category: Queen (Band)
Genre: Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Old Married Couple, Photographs, Reminiscing, Romance, present day!Joger
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-12-24 18:09:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21103769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jenfly/pseuds/Jenfly
Summary: Pictures could capture moments that was hard to describe with words. It wasn’t just about what or who was in the picture but also about who had taken it. The whole magic laid behind the photographer.





	photographs

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt:** Photography
> 
> My last Joger/Dealor piece for the week. Writing this was fun even though I got sick in the middle of process... Luckily was able to finish this in time, though. I consider this to be my fave of the fics I've written for the week, so... Hope you enjoy! 😊

”John, dear? I’m home,” Roger spoke as he walked along the hallway, heading to living room and hoping to find his husband there. He threw the keys in the bowl on the small, high table beside the doorway that lead to living room. He walked into the large, cosy room, only to see that John wasn’t there. With a sigh, he went to the kitchen to get himself a glass of water and then made his way upstairs, to his and John’s bedroom.

The door creaked slightly as he pushed it open and he was met with an empty room. It seemed that John wasn’t home and Roger was about to turn to leave as something on the bed caught his attention. Curious he walked to the bed and the object lying on it seemed like one of their photo albums. He sat down on the bed, picking the photo album up and slowly opening it, a small smile immediately crossing his lips as he saw the pictures.

Slowly he brushed his fingers over the pictures, mind going back to the time when they were taken. They had been so young, just starting their journey as Queen, finally getting a taste of life they all had more or less dreamed of. Something warm tucked at his chest as his eyes scanned the looks on their faces in the pictures, taking in the details he had looked at so many times before. Every time it felt different, though. He knew he had _lived_ all those moments, even remembered how he had felt back then, but somehow seeing it all on a piece of paper was different.

Pictures could capture moments that was hard to describe with words. It wasn’t just about what or who was in the picture but also about who had taken it. The whole magic laid behind the photographer. It was easy to see from those pictures Roger himself had taken – especially from the ones he had taken of John. Whether it was one of those silly moments he had decided to immortalize or one of those calm, quiet moments, he could see it – the way he had focused on John, framed him compared to the others. 

It was different.

He really hadn’t been great at hiding his feelings. The love he felt for John was basically radiating from those pictures and he couldn’t help but chuckle quietly as he remembered how smitten he had been back then. The countless times he had made himself a fool in front of John just to get him to smile or laugh… It was quite funny how much being in love had changed things. 

Roger carefully turned the pages a bit faster, the warmth swaying in his heart as he connected the captured moments with his memories. It was easy to get lost into reminiscing, re-living all those moments, and Roger didn’t realize John had come home before he heard him speak, startling Roger a bit.

”I thought I would find you here,” John said from the doorway and Roger’s eyes settled on his husband. There was a soft smile on John’s lips and Roger let out a content sigh, relaxing his shoulders.

”I just saw this photo album and got carried away,” Roger stated, tapping the album with his fingers. ”So many memories in here...”

John hummed, nodding, and pulled his hand from behind his back, revealing a small paper bag. Roger raised his brow, curious of what was in it.

”Well, I’m not sure if you noticed but there’s a few pictures missing,” John said, starting to approach Roger. Roger shook his head as he hadn’t seen anything to be missing from the photo album. Smiling, John sat down opposite of Roger, carefully pushing the photo album aside and setting the paper bag between them.

”I was looking at those pictures and one in particular caught my attention and I got this little idea,” John explained and pushed the bag towards Roger. ”It’s for you.”

”Me?” Roger asked, confused, causing John to chuckle.

”Yes, silly. Last time I checked, I’m still married to you.”

Roger rolled his eyes and took a look inside the bag. He was sure it was a framed picture and when he finally fished it out, he was proved to be right. His lips curved into a fond smile as he saw the collage of two pictures sitting in the silvery frame and his heart swelled of warmth as he looked at them, remembering the moments they captured like they had happened yesterday.

In the picture on the left John was down on his one knee, holding a tiny velvet box in his hands, looking up at Roger, and Roger could so vividly remember John’s nervousness and his own astonishment as the bassist had finally popped the question. He had never expected it to happen as back then gay couples weren’t allowed to get married. But John had said that he didn’t care if they would never be able to get married officially and all that mattered was how they felt for each other. 

The ring had been a promise that no matter what would happen, they would always be there for each other. 

The second picture was of them on their wedding day, exchanging their vows.

It was a proof that times had changed. A proof that love had won in the end.

The day had been perfect; the memories of it flooding into Roger’s mind right away, the warmth squeezing his heart into velvety embrace and making him tear up. He sniffed and John’s hand came to rest on his cheek, thumb stroking the skin ever so slightly and Roger moved his gaze up, meeting John’s eyes. The look in those gray-green orbs was tender and Roger knew John was feeling the same as he was. 

”I love this,” Roger breathed out, smiling. ”Thank you.”

John hummed, slowly leaning in to place a sweet kiss on Roger’s forehead. Roger let out a content sigh as his gaze dropped back to the picture.

”I think I know a perfect place for this,” he said quietly, running his fingers along the frame. ”But I guess this can wait for a while. Would you want to look at these pictures with me, reminisce some old times?” His eyes found John’s again.

”Of course, love,” John answered, smiling softly. Roger smiled back, then setting his gift picture and the paper back aside and taking the photo album in his hands. They positioned themselves so that they were sitting side by side, the photo album resting on Roger’s lap. John wrapped his right arm around Roger as Roger turned the next page, revealing the next set of pictures.

The moment felt so special; they hadn’t really used to go through the pictures together, not like this. Roger knew they both had memorized all of their photo albums and they had often mentioned some of the pictures in their conversations but they had never really sat down and re-lived those moments together. 

They were closing to the end of the photo album and Roger could feel the change happening in the air as the pictures of Freddie looking ill came to their view. There wasn’t much of them but seeing those few made Roger’s heart still sting and when he took a look at John, his heart sunk even more. The ghost of pain was visible in John’s eyes, his lips curved into a small, bittersweet smile, and Roger had to look away, close his eyes for a moment and take deep breaths. John sensed his discomfort, his arm around him tightening and as a pair of lips pressed a kiss on his cheek, Roger relaxed, opening his eyes.

He turned the page again, eyes going from one picture to another, the sting in his chest easing out as his gaze stopped on the picture on the bottom right. It was of him, John and Freddie and he remembered Brian had taken it. Roger was sitting on the chair, making a silly face, and John was standing behind him, bent over, his arms wrapped around Roger’s chest and a huge smile on his lips. Freddie was standing beside them, his tongue sticking out and pointing at them with both forefingers. There was this special light in Freddie’s eyes that made Roger feel warm; it was one of the pictures he didn’t look ill at all even though he was.

With a small smile on his lips, Roger’s eyes travelled up to John. The pain in John’s eyes had subsided, now only showing a hint of sadness, a glow of fond smile danced on his lips, and Roger had to take a moment to just look, take in the details on his husband’s face. The lines on his forehead, around the eyes, the hair that had escaped to the sides and turned to gray – every change brought by age, every inch he knew so well, had spent countless times kissing, tracing his fingers along.

”Hey.” John’s soft voice reached Roger’s ears and he blinked, coming back to earth from his train of thoughts. There was slightly amused grin on John’s lips as he looked at him.

”I thought we were supposed to be looking at the pictures.”

”Yeah, I just --”

”Got lost in your thoughts,” John said and Roger nodded. John’s slid his hand up to Roger’s neck, bringing their foreheads together and Roger let out a sigh.

”I love you.”

”I love you, too,” John responded, tilting his head and leaning in to capture Roger’s lips in the softest of kisses. Roger smiled into it, relaxing even more, his hold of the photo album loosening so much he almost dropped it. Luckily John was quick to grab a hold of it with his free hand and they pulled apart, chuckling.

”Careful, love,” John said, adjusting the photo album properly back on Roger’s lap and Roger flashed him a grin. John just rolled his eyes before turning his attention back to the photo album. Roger did the same and comfortable silence fell between them.

”Freddie would have been delighted to see how strong we still are,” John stated after a while, brushing his finger over one picture of Freddie.

”Yeah, he would,” Roger spoke quietly, a fond smile on his lips. ”He always knew we were meant to be.”

”Do you remember when he set us up on a date?” 

Roger nodded, chuckling. Of course he remembered. 

”I could never forget it,” he admitted, eyes searching for John’s and was soon met with his husband’s twinkling gaze. 

”I really wanted to wipe off that smug expression he had the day after.”

Roger grinned. ”Yeah, and I thanked him for setting us up. After all, due to his meddling we finally pulled our heads out of our asses and told how we felt for each other.” 

John smiled widely, giving Roger a little nod, and then his gaze fell back to the pictures. Roger saw the look in his eyes changing, twinkle fading, sadness flowing in, and something inside him turned.

”I miss him so much.”

Roger moved his left hand from the photo album, wrapping it around John and resting his head on his shoulder, heart feeling heavier than a moment ago.

”I miss him, too.”

Roger’s eyes followed the pictures on the pages, heart squeezing in his chest as the pain tucked at the old wounds that had never fully healed. The wounds he had carried with him for years and would carry for the rest of his life. But despite pain, there had been the moments of happiness, the sparks of light amongst the darkness, both big and small. And that what he saw in those pictures, what they represented.

The good, the bad – it all was connected to them, embedded into the story they told without words.

The story of love.

**Author's Note:**

> I would love to know what you think. 😊


End file.
